We're doing it again folks!
Trying to go the month of July spending $150 or so on food and not buy any superfluous items. Last year when we did this we were able to save enough to make our $1,000 emergency fund. That sure came in handy when last winter we spent $800 on tires for my car! We were lucky to not have to go into debt then, and quickly built the savings back up.
This year the goal is to kick most of the rest of our credit card debt. We use an Alaska Airlines Visa for our every day purchases and pay it off at the end of every week, but we still have some hanging around another credit card from way back in the college days.
My cycle was work during the school year, travel in the summer, rack up the debt, pay it off while working the following school year.
Then I graduated and traveled and then had real expenses like toothpaste and oil changes.
Its fluctuated a little bit, but from that time on I've basically had the same amount of debt...and once we got married it was "our" debt. We were almost out when we moved, then got a dog, then our dog (4 days after we got it) got hit by a car and we racked up a lot of costs.
Last summer I read about Dave Ramsey's philosophy of being debt-free and having an emergency plan, and in conjunction read about Rachel's "No Spend Month" on Small Notebook , and we decided to take the plunge.
We got our savings, and have been chipping away at the debt. We even moved to a place with significantly less rent to contribute more.
Hopefully by the end of this month we will be much much closer...and Lord willin' and the crik don't rise we'll be out of debt by late August!
We signed up for a CSA last month and have more than enough vegetables from that, so we may be eating a lot of vegetarian meals!
Two nights ago I made a very green stir fry. Zucchini, snow peas, garlic spears and some mixed greens...it tasted ok but definitely wasn't the best thing I've ever whipped up!
Last year I wrote an article on Frugal Fine Dining - check it out for the way that we stretch our grocery budget!
Last year I wrote an article on Frugal Fine Dining - check it out for the way that we stretch our grocery budget!
On our list of things to use this week are a can of clams, arepa flour and a can of garbanzo beans...wish me luck!!!
Kait,
ReplyDeleteI found your from a mention on Small notebook. Just came to say hello and to cheer you on.
I am sure it will be lot easier with all debt off once you do this. I love dave Ramsey too. I am impressed $150 for food only. Love to see your update to see how are things.
You can do it! Go Kait.
Thanks so much! Its not as drastic as Rachel's previous No Spend Months but its a big change for us! Thanks for the encouragement - we're past the halfway mark today!
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